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This summary makes a very alarming (to me) statement -- CD4 count increases stopped after someone was on HAART for 4 years.

My question for anyone who has been taking meds for HIV (i.e., anti-viral) is if your CD4 count increased after you'd been on HAART for 4 years. IOW, did your count continue to go up or did it stop at a certain level (range)?

I'm really rather bummed if this is true. I know it's just one study but 100% of the patients had CD4 counts plateau after 4 years on HAART.

Boo

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String up every aristocrat!Out with the priests and let them live on their fat!

OH BULLSHIT! I've been on the same COCTAIL for four years(maybe a smidge more) and have been as steady as the Rock of Gilbralter in my VL,CD4 & %.Why would you worry your pretty little head about such drivel?I KNOW you someone who has done pretty well for a few years. C'mon, you sure?I have been on Trizivir and Viramune since 2002.

Oh pshaw! I know its Martini - time somewhere! Coctail anyone?

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No Fear No Shame No StigmaHappiness is not getting what you want, but wanting what you have.

not to be a downer but I started meds 18 months ago. at that time I had a percentage of 8 a CD4 of 22 and VL off the charts......

about nine months ago I seemed to level off CD4 in the mid 400-500's depending on the test, percentage right around 28 and VL undetectable and I seem to be stuck there.....

I just assumed it would not go higher and given the vast improvement and the fact I feel great and live a full life I was pretty happy. Yeah a CD4 of 800 would be nice, but who knows, maybe I only ever had 500 or so anyway....

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The difference between an overnight and a layover is luck!

020501

i've been on combivir and sustiva for 6 years. cd4s aren't climbing as fast as they once did, but i'm still on the rise. i dont remember the exact numbers from my last visit, but they were my highest yet, 600s and 30-something percent.

not to be a downer but I started meds 18 months ago. at that time I had a percentage of 8 a CD4 of 22 and VL off the charts......

about nine months ago I seemed to level off CD4 in the mid 400-500's depending on the test, percentage right around 28 and VL undetectable and I seem to be stuck there.....

I just assumed it would not go higher and given the vast improvement and the fact I feel great and live a full life I was pretty happy. Yeah a CD4 of 800 would be nice, but who knows, maybe I only ever had 500 or so anyway....

You're CD4 at the start of meds was already severly suppressed, it's going to take your body sometime to repair then you will see a climb again.

You're CD4 at the start of meds was already severly suppressed, it's going to take your body sometime to repair then you will see a climb again.

Yes I was very sick when I started meds. My doctor really never thought I would surpass about 300 but here I am in the "pretty much normal range" he says they may never get better and that is fine by me. As long as we keep this level and meds continue to NOT destory my body then I can live a long and happy and productive life.

Yes I was very sick when I started meds. My doctor really never thought I would surpass about 300 but here I am in the "pretty much normal range" he says they may never get better and that is fine by me. As long as we keep this level and meds continue to NOT destory my body then I can live a long and happy and productive life.

Yeah a friend of mine sat at 320 or so for several years, but now has passed the 700 mark, so it'll come if you continue to take care of yourself.

Like I have said before :There is nit beaten tracks in here........or try to find a some in the NetOr to quote Einstein : one grain on the head is low , but in the soup is too much..........everything is relativeMore important (or equally) is a composition of a CD4 cells , or do you have all types of it.......................

My numbers are below. Read 'em and be unimpressed. My tcells once climbed into the 500's, but after an ill-advised TI 2 yrs ago (my own half-assed idea), they fell and have never recovered. In fact they seem to be trending down. I go for a blood draw this Sat for a doc appt. end of month. Should be interesting. Can't say I have a good feeling about this. Hoping for the best. Gulp.

I have been taking drugs 1989. I was in trials for Crix. My CD4 stayed between 350 and 400 till 2000 when I went on a drug holiday for three years(lipo and resistance). My Vl went to a million in 36 month. CD4 went to 250 and stayed there till this year. 6 months ago I became undectectable for the first time and last week my CD4 rose to 360, the highest they have been in 7 years.

I have never seen an increase in my CD4's since starting meds in 1999. I would guess that with all the different regimens that I have been on, they probably kept my numbers from decreasing at a slower rate. I remember all the times I waited to hear results from my labs that indicated an increase, but in my battle, it just never happened. Well once i went from 54 to 65, but the next one went to 8 then 3 and that is when HAART ended for me. It brings a smile to my face when I see others post their increasing numbers, but most often a tear, as I so want to hear that news in my lifetime.

I have never seen an increase in my CD4's since starting meds in 1999. I would guess that with all the different regimens that I have been on, they probably kept my numbers from decreasing at a slower rate. I remember all the times I waited to hear results from my labs that indicated an increase, but in my battle, it just never happened. Well once i went from 54 to 65, but the next one went to 8 then 3 and that is when HAART ended for me. It brings a smile to my face when I see others post their increasing numbers, but most often a tear, as I so want to hear that news in my lifetime.

I'm really sorry to hear that, it sounds like you have been very unlucky. It's easy to take for granted that your CD4s will climb when you are on HAART. I have to admit, I have been scared by the thought that my CD4s may never increase but considering I have only been on it for a week it's best if I try not to think about stuff like that.

I can't give you the actual years on HAART. I have been hiv positive since 1984. So assume HAART for roughly 10-15 years, my cd4/cd8 ratio has remained constant for 20 years, my cd4's were around 250 when I started, moved into the 400's and have remained in the 400's since. My flux is 430 t0 450 to.... Why mine are stuck where they are, who knows. Best, Win

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Winthrop Smith has published three collections of poetry: Ghetto: From The First Five; The Weigh-In: Collected Poems; Skin Check: New York Poems. The last was published in December 2006. He has a work-in-progress underway titled Starting Positions.

It hasn't been my experience, Boo (that my numbers have stalled after 4 years on HAART).

I started on a clinical trial in '94 with CD4's at 79 (4%).

It took forever to get above 200, but my labs from 1/17/98 were CD4's 199 (11%). I believe that was the last time I was under 200.

Fast-forward to labs from 01/28/05: CD4's 390 (19%)

Fast-forward again to my best labs ever, 12/26/06: CD4's 616 (26%)

I know there are lots of holes there, but I don't recall any drastic changes in my nearly 13 years on HAART (except for a quick drop last August when I started methotrexate for arthritis, which seemed to correct itself quickly). Just a continual and gradual upward increase, which (if anything) has seemed to accelerate the last couple of years.

I have been on and off various Antiretrovirals since 1991 but did not start "true" HAART until October 2000. In 1991 I started AZT monotherapy (withdrew in early 1992 due to intolerance), 1994 Videx monotherapy (for about 9 months until I had a problem with Pancreatitis and kidney stones), 1996 until October 2000 (Zerit and Epivir). In October 2000, my doc added Sustiva and officially began HAART. My numbers between 1991 and 2000 bounced between 320 at the highest and 189 at the lowest, but mainly remained in the mid 200's.

Shortly after beginning HAART in late 2000, the numbers eventually climbed from the low 200's to the low 300's. Another change in mid 2006, dropped the Zerit and Epivir and added Truvada, and the numbers again began to rise. The latest test in December showed I had a CD4 count of 351, % 18, VL 750. The results of the study may be in generalized terms but for me, post-4 years, my CD4 count has risen.

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